F4YGO R3D 4ND OBS1D14N BL4CK
by Mirage Nightray
Summary: The intervention never happens. Dave clutches at what he has left of Terezi, he and Karkat both, but they find that they're too late to get her back again.


F4YGO R3D AND OBS1D14N BL4CK

By Mirage Nightray

* * *

_Takes place after panel [A615.] The Terezi in the dialogue at the end is credited to one of my friends._

* * *

The intervention never happens, because your life exists for the sole purpose of fate giving you a big old 'fuck you' whenever you need something to happen the most.

Had either of you ever thought about how Terezi would feel about the situation? Watching her steal away at the oddest hours, sneak furtive glances at the vents, fingers and lips stained purple after she would crawl back under the 'COOLK1D FORT' with you and say _Dave, Dave, look at what I made for you, _and you'd only think that it was for the sake of guilt and appeasing you? And talking about her with Karkat- when she could have easily faked sleep and was on the verge of letting her trembling lips give her away, that was another huge sign she was holding up, saying _I was always begging you two for help but you two were so busy wrapped up in one another that you couldn't see?_

Sight is the one thing that she doesn't have, but it's the thing she understands the most. You and Karkat both, oblivious and blind even though you two can see. It probably drove her mad. You get it now, with some kind of awful finality, you and Karkat. Piecing the puzzle together way too late. She'd done it to try and deflect some of the clown's murderous tendencies to her. Protect him, the unsuspecting collateral damage in the fucked up three-way relationship they had. Maybe ensure that their kismesissitude would keep Gamzee at bay until she could convince Karkat to break off their pale relationship, but really, she probably hadn't counted on falling out of contact with either Karkat or you.

Hadn't counted on you two deserting her after she was slowly sucked away, the effort of some poisonous relationship reducing her to _this._

* * *

"We fucked up!" Karkat desperately says over and over again, his fingers running through his hair until it stands up on end by itself, his slowly reddening eyes fixing on you. "We fucked up big time, Dave, and we need to _do something about this shit instead of sitting around and waiting for her to come back._"

Yeah, you two did fuck up.

She sat up so suddenly that you two didn't register the abrupt change, the absence of her snoring and the disdain that you two had allowed into your voices. Dragon hood knocked askew from her sudden motion, cape still half-hanging off of her shoulders, and when you and Terezi looked at each other speechlessly from the pixelated hologram of your face, her hot red eyes swinging magnetically to find yours, you found out those ruined eyes of hers could still cry.

"TEREZI! Terezi, come back!" Karkat bellowed, but she was already gone, and you two were frozen in stupefied shock before you roused yourself and shouted at Karkat to _fucking move, _and he was off, chasing after her until he got himself utterly lost in the maze of the meteor.

You found him after an hour of wandering. Slumped against the wall with his face in his hands, his shoulders tensing under your touch.

"Sorry," you say, and even to you, your voice sounds old and exhausted.

Karkat sobs into his hands and you feel the inexplicable urge to kneel down next to him and hold him, but that's neither here nor there; you've got bigger issues to contend with.

You take Karkat with you, his scythes and your half-blade still stowed away into your strife decks. The meteor is empty and quiet. There is silence.

As you walk along one corridor, Karkat suddenly barks at you to _get the fuck down, _his clothes switching into those godawful godtier pajamas as his scythes burst out of his strife deck so fast that you smell burning ozone. He throws one, dashes past you and swipes with the other, and you roll to your feet and lash out with your own weapon at whatever flies out of the darkness at you.

Six arrows lie broken at your feet afterwards, two teal, two red, two black. Karkat picks one up and loses whatever color he had left in his cheeks, red streaming down his arm where an arrow clipped him. Later, he realizes that he's lost a scythe, but none of that matters to the both of you at the moment, because the black arrows are tipped with crusted teal blood.

Your blood howls murder, sings revenge to you as you stalk down the darkened halls, Karkat following close behind with a light in his hand. You are silent in your wrath, your knuckles white on your weapon.

* * *

Her breath hitches softly where his fingers touch, claws dipping into her wounds for some sick substitute for paint when he could use something, anything else. He draws incomprehensible signs around her, hums and dabs a nauseatingly warm fingerprint onto her cheek and drags down.

_Disgusting, disgusting, disgusting,_ he clucks reprovingly at her in his drawling voice, reaching down to gently brush aside her hair from her wounds. _Goddamn, this is what happens when you open up some shitblood's veins to get some motherfucking COLOR and you get their vein sludge all over your motherFUCKING hands._

Club discarded nearby, stained with teal and purple where she tried to retaliate, but then his eyes blaze purple and violet and other variations of the color and the fear rises to a shriek in her own mind's eye, until she cries out for want of light.

_I'll feed you Skittles, _Dave had said to her once while she was 'sleeping.' _Hand-feed, even, I know how you like that shit. Taste the fucking rainbow. I'll let you dress me up like a fucking scalemate and use me as a goddamn witness in a court proceeding, regardless of how much my masculinity will be called into question._

His voice cracked.

_Terezi, wake up._

_Come back._

But no, because when she wants to sit up and open her eyes, tell Dave that _it's okay, I'm alright, coolkid, I've got this under control,_ there's Gamzee, with his blazing eyes and an arrow nocked to his bow, and then she doesn't even dare breathe for fear of having that arrow loosened into his back, red spilling out to spread across the floor.

Gamzee prepares the funeral pyre, and with his eyes he forces her to light the fire.

* * *

You see her lying on the ground with her blood pooling around her. Her fingers are wrapped around the blade of her dragonhead cane, slick with teal. Gamzee kneels next to her, not even bothering to move away from the growing pool. He shifts. Dark liquid stains the knees of his pants. Behind you, Karkat swears and curses and cannot stop weeping.

"Get away from her," you say, and it's your last warning.

"Ain't no motherfucking time like the present to be all up and going I'M MOTHERFUCKING SORRY to the little chica," he says, his voice like drums and thunder. "Go on. I won't motherfucking interfere. Girl's gotta right to hear her own last words."

"She's not going to die," and Gamzee didn't fuck off, so you charge forward. Karkat aggresses him from the side while you bear her limp frame up and away from the fray. After you flee far away, you collapse with Terezi next to you, your hands clutching at the hot liquid that pumps its way out of her body and soul. Her mouth is open, and she says _sorry, sorry, sorry, _as you shake your head over and over again.

"You aren't going to die, Terezi, shut up and stay still until I can-"

Your fingers fumble with your glasses. Kanaya's mobile is fucking OFFLINE, and so is Rose's. You shoot her a frantic offline message. We need you. Get the fuck over here.

She brushes a cool hand up to your cheek. Her eyes- whole and ruby red and searing hot like the sun- meet yours again. "Dave," she says simply, and you don't know whether or not it's a goodbye or an apology, and you'll never know because then her arm slips down and she's silent and quiet in her terrible beauty, and you are left with an armful of dead troll girl and a head full of grief.

When Karkat staggers up to the both of you, arms trembling, he already knows. He collapses next to you with a moan of absolute anguish, gathering her into his lap and murmuring _Terezi, Terezi, Terezi, _over and over again like a chant, and you look down at your hands, stained with her blood.

* * *

_rezi_

_rezi goddamnit i got dolled up like a stupid white knight on his horse riding in to save the damsel for this_

_Y34H? SO?_

__The scene clears. You are seated with Terezi in the branches of her immense treehouse, the leaves rustling round the two of you. She rests her head contentedly against your shoulder as you two sit back and enjoy the sight of the moonlight shining through dappled leaves.

_okay none of that lackluster shit sit up and drop the faygo_

_look_

_today i had a sort of epiphany_

_3P1PH4NY?_

_i was strolling through the meteor and suddenly found out some adequate way to express my sadness_

_D4V3 YOU 4R3 ST4RT1NG TO SOUND L4M3_

_S1NC3 WH3N DO YOU H4V3 3P1PH4N13S?_

_1 THOUGHT TH4T W4S 4 ROS3 HUM4N TH1NG_

__You give her a halfhearted glare as she giggles, but you let the edge of your mouth quirk up in a tiny smile.

_ouch rezi _

_but shh lemme tell you my laments_

_okay so like i was really nicely dressed in a four thousand dollar dress on a hot summer evening_

_Y34H Y34H_

_WH4T H4PP3N3D N3XT?_

_be patient_

_so then out of nowhere these asshole clouds rolled in and rained on my dress so then the flash mob i had planned out to surprise my fiancée was so tragically and cliché-y ruined that i had to stand there soaked as my meticulously designed plan went into ruins_

_1 H4V3 Y3T TO S33 WH3R3 TH1S 1S GO1NG D4V3_

_and then i went onto facebook and goddamn lo and behold there was a video of me standing in the rain with my nice dress and the flash mob getting angry and my fiancée rejecting me on top of that_

_so afterwards the video got everywhere_

_on tumblr as a reaction gif _

_on god fucking damn 4chan_

_1M W41T1NG COOL K1D_

She's getting impatient, fidgeting against your shoulder as she reaches up and tucks a small leaf behind your ear. You indulge her and let her poke leaves repeatedly into your hair until you've got a goddamn headdress, but you still keep talking.

_and it literally just got watched so many times my failure was immortalized into an internet meme on 4chan_

_4chan memes are the fucking worst_

_so i have to sit there and await my future as being known for just that_

_i guess thats the extensiveness of how shitty im feeling right now rezi_

_OH_

_no one could even begin to rival the amount of shittiness i feel at not seeing you around that much_

_dont worry im not drowning myself in antidepressants yet or listening to godawful punk rock screaming my lungs out while pitch black eyeliner runs down my face_

_my emotional fortitude is just fine thanks for asking_

_really terezi_

_not even a questioning sniff in my direction_

She's fallen silent, maybe out of spite, maybe out of boredom. Either way, you smack her head to get her attention again. She 'oww's and snaps a pair of dangerously sharp teeth near your finger. You yank it out of the way just in time, her teeth clacking shut on empty air. You smirk at her even as she scowls.

_terezi_

_terezi come on_

_but seriously that fiancee thing is going to happen if you dont start talking to me or karkat about you know_

_blurry bigfoot guy with the huge purple boner_

_WH4T 4R3 YOU 3V3N T4LK1NG 4BOUT?_

_oh and the fiancee would so be karkat by the way_

_who doesnt bitch constantly about his sexuality like a certain guy i know_

_seriously_

_did all my melodramaticism really go over your head_

_NO_

_this is a goddamn intervention_

_we are sitting down_

_like a family_

_FOR WH4T?_

_mother holding handkerchief to her eyes sadly_

_1 DONT H4V3 A PROBL3M D4V3_

_father shaking his head and holding himself together for the sake of the family_

_UGH_

_the kids huddled together as they bring their faygo addicted clown hustling sister out to talk to_

_point is rezi_

She looks up at you, pixie-like and annoyed, delicate freckles across her nose scrunched up in complaint as she swings her legs under the tree branch. You redouble your grip on her. It's a long way down.

_um_

_that guy is bad news_

_and you need to get away from him_

_nah im just joking_

_1M NOT 4DD1CT3D TO F4YGO D4V3 1M TOO COOL FOR TH4T_

_im not that big on troll culture and shit you see but goddamn_

_sleeping in your underwear with your hair coagulated with faygo_

_shit im not trying to be your lusus or whatever_

_NOT 4DD1CT3D_

She's just so petulant sometimes, but you choose to ignore her quip and you keep talking, combing a hand through her hair.

_im just concerned_

_getting those silky locks of yours crusted with half regurgitated sugar water isnt that great_

_insert a huge fucking melodramatic sigh in here_

_rezi that shit messes with your head_

_or so ive been told_

_TH4TS JUST B3C4US3 G4MZ33 1S STUP1D_

_what does that even mean_

_1T M34NS H3S STUP1D_

_blurry purple boner man doesnt get a say in jack shit_

_okay great_

_no actually_

_to have pushed you into not talking with karkat or me i mean yeah thats pretty serious business right there_

She sighs and says nothing for a minute. A breeze rolls in. You two shiver and move in closer, synonymously. It's a little funny, and she smiles a little, but it's a tired smile.

_..._

_4R3 YOU.._

_am i_

_R34LLY TH4T WORR13D D4V3?_

_1 THOUGHT YOU W3R3 TOO COOL FOR TH4T_

_im worrying ironically_

_see my pokerface_

_its the mother of all pokerfaces_

You pokerface so hard that you can feel her giggles wracking her small frame. Holding her closer, you sigh into her hair, pressing a small kiss to the top of her head.

_1RON1C4LLY OF COURS3 1 DONT S33 WHY 1TS SO 1MPORT4NT TH3N_

_i scaled the apathy mountain and forged through the dont give a flying fuck forests of i also dont give a shit-ea_

_no rezi_

_worrying ironically is always the most important kind of worrying_

_it means you dont go back on anything and that everything you say is held in the utmost of importance_

_you and me right now were talking about something pretty important_

_1 DONT UND3RST4ND WHY WH4T 1M DO1NG 1S SO WRONG_

She really doesn't? Terezi, in all of her fine wit, in all of her intelligence and razor-sharp wisdom- she doesn't understand? Overhead, a shooting star flies by, leaving behind a purple wake. You two watch it, entranced.

_rezi_

_first off that faygos going to rot your nice shiny white fangs_

_probably idk_

_i like your fangs_

_theyre really sharp and yeah look at you go_

_1S TH4T TH3 B3ST D3SCR1PT1ON YOU H4V3?_

_those pearly whites_

_okay fine do you want me to go into full ironic teeth describing mode_

_theyre as white as the goddamn bleached carcasses of travelers who forged through hell and back trying to find a cure for their yellow mossy teeth_

_also as white as my bare un-sun-kissed ass_

_that too_

_3WWWW_

_haha see_

_i told you man_

_warned you dog_

At that, she looks up at you again, displeased.

_D4V3_

_terezi_

_1 4M NOT 4 WOOF B34ST_

_okay fine_

__You think for a moment.

_dragon_

_Y3SSS_

_haha yeah okay_

_see dragons cant eat without their fangs can they_

_but thats not the point_

_karkat doesnt need to be protected anymore_

_guys not moirails with gamzee anymore_

_R34LLY?_

_thats why you entered into a kismesisisisuti fuck that i dont know how to say it_

_with him right_

_K1SM3S1S_

_to protect karkat in case gamzee tried anything_

_yeah okay that_

_isnt that why_

_you dont need to anymore_

_W3LL..._

_its just harming you and the whole goddamn farm around here_

_1TS 4LSO B3C4US3 1 C4N SM3LL TH3 1NJUST1C3 ON H1M_

_rezi this isnt court_

_this is you_

_solely and ironically and also unironically you_

_MY L1F3 1S TH3 L4W D4V3_

_my life was you_

Silence after the words. She sits motionless, her red eyes staring out into nothing as she doesn't move save the gentle rise and fall of her ribcage. You suddenly want to kiss her all over, press your lips to her neck before she can wander off any further. You gently brush at her hair again, holding her as she digs tiny hands into your shirt, a sudden sob rising from her throat.

_R3M3MB3R 4LL TH3 SC4L3M4T3S?_

_remember all the times we spent together_

You desperately try to get her back. She tries so hard to hold on to you, clutching onto you like you're her life support. You two are entangled with one another so deeply, so extensively, that you can feel her heart beating in tandem to yours.

_terezi come on_

_come back_

_goddamnit_

_1 DONT KNOW WH4T YOU W4NT FROM M3! K1SM3S1SS1TUD3 1SNT SOM3TH1NG YOU 4LW4YS CHOOS3!_

_you can choose to be with me_

_you can choose to be with any of the other goddamn people in this place that wont harm you or cause you to pass out half naked in sticky pools of faygo_

_anyone but just him_

_distancing yourself from us isnt going to protect karkat_

_YOU D1DNT W4NT TO B3 W1TH M3 THOUGH_

She whispers the words, and your heart breaks as you tuck your head over her shoulder, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear as she holds onto you and shakes. Your hands find one another. She sobs and sobs and sobs and cannot let go.

_terezi in all honesty and i swear on the grave of my bros katana_

_i did_

_swear on my blood and crows and photography and music and everything_

_ON JUST1C3?_

_on justice yeah_

_legislacerators or something_

_cross my heart and hang me from a tree like one of those little scalemates_

_i swear i did_

_i just didnt understand_

_1 W1LL M4YB3 TRY TO STOP_

_if you can_

_if you want to_

_like you said this is your choice_

Your words come in a jumble, in a rush. They fall upon her ears, tumble from your lips with so much ease, honey and oil loosening your mouth.

_1F YOU SW34R ON YOUR3 COOLN3SS_

_but i just want you to know that a bunch of people miss you_

_oh fuck yes_

_my coolkid status will be left fucking unruffled and as pristine as a newborn babys glistening body coated with birthing fluids_

_there will be nothing else as perfect than me swearing on my coolkid honor_

_TH3N 1 W1LL TRY TO STOP_

_please_

_come back soon okay_

_OK4Y_

But somehow she withdraws, and you look down at her, fragile and small and so impossibly delicate in your arms. No, no, no. You want to get her back. Your words bleed anguish. You lift your gaze up to the stars and pray fervently, rocking her back and forth.

_get up terezi_

_get up im dying right now_

_come back for fucks sake_

_what the fuck am i meant to do without you_

_like i havent got jack shit if youre not here_

_trying to make this funny but its not coming out_

_i cannot fucking deal with this right now_

_terezi goddamnit this is the part where you take off that stupid hood of yours and tell me that youre okay youre alright that stupid clown guy didnt get to you_

_get your skinny ass back out here and be with us_

_ill even throw in skittles_

_taste the fucking rainbow_

_ill make you all of the red colored foods ill even let you lick me_

And then she'd say, "_OK D4V3 1 W1LL G3T B4CK ON MY F33T, F1GUR4T1V3LY SP34K1NG," _and you'd smile.

_aight its a promise_

_punch that goddamn boner clown in the face next time you see him_

_or smell him_

_whichever floats your boat_

_yeah okay_

_gotta promise though_

_PROM1S3?_

_yeah_

_pinky promise_

_like even with the whole thumb hugging thing_

_lemme show you_

Her hand is real and warm against yours.

_like that_

_now promise_

_PROM1S3 WH4T_

TH4T 1LL G3T B3TT3R?

_nah_

_you were always perfect_

_i just want you to promise that youll come back_

_1 PROM1S3 TH4T 1 W1L COM3 B4CK TO YOU COOL K1D._

_B3C4US3_

_YOU JUST 4R3NT 4S COOL W1THOUT M3 :]_

_damn straight_

_ill get you back_

_reel you in like those old people in life alert_

_fucking help ive fallen now i cant get back up_

_yeah_

_anything rezi_

_just ask and the goddamn heavens will be rent asunder in my undying quest to make you happy_

But she's gone before you can hear her reply.


End file.
